A Must-Have for Getting Fit

Fitbit Wireless Activity Sleep Tracker

I first learned about Fitbit through Sparkpeople.com, which I have used on and off for the last few years. Then I saw that a co-worker had one, and she spoke well of it, so I did some real research. After learning about it, I put the Fitbit One on my wish list and received it as a Christmas gift. I set some goals at the beginning of the year and started really using it to track my level of activity, and the results have been dramatic. Using Fitbit to track my calorie burn and comparing it to the food tracker, I have been able to lose 6 pounds so far. Sure, it might be easy to lose a few pounds, but I feel like I'm making a lifestyle change and not just a quick weight-loss fix. I'll check back in a few months down the line and let you know if my progress has continued.

Great things about the Fitbit One-
-It has a personality! I was unaware of this when I started to want mine, but when you set it down and leave it alone for a few minutes, it registers that it isn't on you. When you pick it back up, you are likely to be greeted with some clever phrase, and you can program it to greet you by name. There - I just picked mine up after typing these sentences and it said "GOOOOOOAL, Hi Sara!" Sometimes those little things make a big difference.
- It is small and inconspicuous. My aforementioned co-worker and I wear ours in very different places (she usually clips to her waistband, and I wear mine clipped to my bra) and to be honest, I don't think many other folks in the office are all that aware that we have them.
- The sleep tracker is fascinating. If you were to show me the chart from any night, I can tell you without seeing the date if it was a night before a workday, because I will have woken up 7 or more times, versus the 3 times per night on a weekend. This is such an eye-opening feature. Also - the sleep wrist band is not tight (it adjusts with a velcro-like closure) or heavy or uncomfortable. I highly recommend using the sleep feature if you get a One. It could change your bedtime habits.
- Instant information at your fingertips. When you scroll through the screens, you know right where you are, and if you are on track to meet your goals for the day. The screens include: how many steps you've taken, how many flights of stairs you've climbed(judged by altimeter, so if you are on a stair-climb machine, it will not count that as flights), how many miles/kilometers (you choose) you have traveled during the day, and an estimate of how many calories you have burned. You also have a flower that "grows" depending on how active you've been during the day, and it will tell you when the next silent alarm will go off. The silent alarm is programmable through the website or app, but not right on the device.
- Calories are TOTAL CALORIES, not just those you burned while intentionally working out. Online, you enter your personal information regarding height and weight, and Fitbit does the rest. I find the total calorie count to be especially helpful because it gives you a more accurate idea of how much you can actually eat before you're adding weight, breaking even, or eating fewer calories than you're burning. Estimating by exercise alone is not as useful for me, and it was eye-opening to see what it estimates I burn by just being alive (lower than I thought!)
- The apps and online trackers are easy to use and friendly. No sense of guilt if you don't meet your goals - instead you get encouragement to "Go get more steps!" or "Whoops! You ate more calories than your goal. Go burn more calories to get back into the zone!" It makes it much easier to find immediate motivation instead of the whole "I'll hit the gym tomorrow" syndrome.
- Gadget-lovers like it. My husband is very much a skeptic with weight loss tips and tricks, but a Fitbit isn't that. It is a GADGET, and he loves gadgets. I had owned mine less than a week when he decided he wants one too. (Now we have to make sure it is in the budget, because I'm not giving mine up!)

Negatives (keep in mind that I love the product):
- Some users say it can come out of the clip easily. I have not had that experience, but there are many users who find it to be too easy to lose.
- Some features are hard to find on the website and apps. I've been able to track them all down, but I was confused for the first day or two.
- No instruction sheet. This is probably a positive for some, but I like to have a little booklet to tell me how to use my gadget. When you open the box the instructions are, essentially, clip it on and go to Fitbit.com. It works, but I like a little more guidance.

There are so many great things about the Fitbit One, and I know that I'm still discovering them. For real success, use it every day, and track your sleep at night. Use the online trackers that are appropriate for you to reach your wellness objectives, and most of all HAVE FUN with your Fitbit One.

Get your Fitbit Wireless Activity Sleep Tracker Now!